Toner, and toner production process

Abstract

In a chart of molecular weight distribution measured of a toner, i) the toner has a main peak in the region of molecular weight of 16,000 to 60,000, and ii) where the molecular weight at the main peak is represented by M1, and where the height at the molecular weight M1 is represented by H(M1), the height at a molecular weight of 4,000 by H(4000) and the height at a molecular weight of 15,000 by H(15000), the H(4000), the H(15000) and the H(M1) satisfy a specific proportion. The toner has a weight-average molecular weight (Mw) of 15,000 to 80,000, and, in an endothermic chart, i) the toner has an endothermic main peak in the range of 40 to 130° C., and ii) the calorimetric integral value represented by the peak area of the endothermic main peak is 10 to 35 J per 1 g of the toner.

1. A toner comprising toner particles containing at least a binder resin, a colorant and a wax, wherein;
 in a chart of molecular weight distribution measured by gel permeation chromatography of tetrahydrofuran-soluble matter of the toner; 
 i) the toner has a main peak in the region of molecular weight of from 16,000 to 60,000; and 
 ii) where the molecular weight at the main peak is represented by M1, and where the height at the molecular weight M1 is represented by H(M1), the height at a molecular weight of 4,000 by H(4000) and the height at a molecular weight of 15,000 by H(15000), the H(4000), the H(15000) and the H(M1) fulfill the following condition:
     H (4000): H (15000): H ( M 1)=(0.10 to 0.95):(0.20 to 0.90):1.00; 
 
 the tetrahydrofuran-soluble matter of the toner has a weight-average molecular weight Mw of from 15,000 to 80,000 as measured by gel permeation chromatography; and 
 in an endothermic chart as measured by differential scanning calorimetry; 
 i) the toner has an endothermic main peak in the range of from 40° C. to 130° C.; and 
 ii) the calorimetric integral value represented by the peak area of the endothermic main peak is from 10 to 35 J per 1 g of the toner. 
 
     
     
       2. The toner according to  claim 1 , which, in the chart of molecular weight distribution measured by gel permeation chromatography of tetrahydrofuran-soluble matter of the toner, has a sub-peak in the region of molecular weight of from 600 to 2,000. 
     
     
       3. The toner according to  claim 1 , which, in the chart of molecular weight distribution measured by gel permeation chromatography of tetrahydrofuran-soluble matter of the toner, has at least a maximum point P(M3) in the region of molecular weight of from 2,500 or more to less than 15,000. 
     
     
       4. The toner according to  claim 3 , wherein, in the chart of molecular weight distribution measured by gel permeation chromatography of tetrahydrofuran-soluble matter of the toner, where the height at the maximum point P(M3) is represented by H(M3) and the minimum point present between the maximum point P(M3) and the main peak is represented by P(L1), and where the height at the minimum point P(L1) is represented by H(L1), the H(M3), the H(L1) and the H(M1) fulfill the following condition:
     H ( M 3): H ( L 1): H ( M 1)=(0.10 to 0.95):(0.20 to 0.99):1.00. 
 
     
     
       5. The toner according to  claim 1 , wherein, in the chart of molecular weight distribution measured by gel permeation chromatography of tetrahydrofuran-soluble matter of the toner, the integral value S1 in the region of molecular weight of from 500 to 2,500 and the integral value S2 in the region of molecular weight of from 2,500 to 15,000 and the integral value S3 in the region of molecular weight of from 15,000 to 1,000,000 are in the ratio of S1:S2:S3=(0.15 to 0.95):1.00:(1.50 to 8.00). 
     
     
       6. The toner according  claim 1 , which has, in its particles of 3 μm or more in diameter, an average circularity of from 0.970 to 1.000 and a mode circularity of from 0.98 to 1.00. 
     
     
       7. The toner according to  claim 1 , wherein said toner particles are produced through at least a granulation step of dispersing a polymerizable monomer composition having at least a polymerizable monomer, a colorant, a wax and a low-molecular weight resin, in an aqueous medium to produce droplets of the polymerizable monomer composition, and a polymerization step of polymerizing the polymerizable monomer composition present in the droplets. 
     
     
       8. The toner according to  claim 7 , wherein said low-molecular weight resin has a tetrahydrofuran-soluble matter having a weight-average molecular weight of from 2,000 to 6,000 as measured by gel permeation chromatography. 
     
     
       9. The toner according to  claim 7 , wherein said low-molecular weight resin has a glass transition point of from 40° C. to 100° C. 
     
     
       10. A process for producing a toner; the process comprising producing toner particles through at least a granulation step of dispersing a polymerizable monomer composition having at least a polymerizable monomer, a colorant, a wax and a low-molecular weight resin, in an aqueous medium to produce droplets of the polymerizable monomer composition, and a polymerization step of polymerizing the polymerizable monomer composition present in the droplets;
 said toner comprising toner particles containing at least a binder resin, the colorant and the wax, wherein; 
 in a chart of molecular weight distribution measured by gel permeation chromatography of tetrahydrofuran-soluble matter of the toner; 
 i) the toner has a main peak in the region of molecular weight of from 16,000 to 60,000; and 
 ii) where the molecular weight at the main peak is represented by M1, and where the height at the molecular weight M1 is represented by H(M1), the height at a molecular weight of 4,000 by H(4000) and the height at a molecular weight of 15,000 by H(15000), the H(4000), the H(15000) and the H(M1) fulfill the following condition:
     H (4000): H (15000): H ( M 1)=(0.10 to 0.95):(0.20 to 0.90):1.00; 
 
 the tetrahydrofuran-soluble matter of the toner has a weight-average molecular weight Mw of from 15,000 to 80,000 as measured by gel permeation chromatography; and 
 in an endothermic chart as measured by differential scanning calorimetry; 
 i) the toner has an endothermic main peak in the range of from 40° C. to 130° C.; and 
 ii) the calorimetric integral value represented by the peak area of the endothermic main peak is from 10 to 35 J per 1 g of the toner. 
 
     
     
       11. The process for producing a toner according to  claim 10 , wherein said low-molecular weight resin has a tetrahydrofuran-soluble matter having a weight-average molecular weight Mw of from 2,000 to 6,000 as measured by gel permeation chromatography. 
     
     
       12. The process for producing a toner according to  claim 10 , wherein said low-molecular weight resin has a glass transition point of from 40° C. to 100° C. 
     
     
       13. The process for producing a toner according to  claim 10 , wherein, in the chart of molecular weight distribution measured by gel permeation chromatography of tetrahydrofuran-soluble matter of the toner, said toner has a sub-peak in the region of molecular weight of from 600 to 2,000. 
     
     
       14. The process for producing a toner according to  claim 10 , wherein, in the chart of molecular weight distribution measured by gel permeation chromatography of tetrahydrofuran-soluble matter of the toner, said toner has at least a maximum point P(M3) in the region of molecular weight of from 2,500 or more to less than 15,000. 
     
     
       15. The process for producing a toner according to  claim 14 , wherein, in the chart of molecular weight distribution measured by gel permeation chromatography of tetrahydrofuran-soluble matter of the toner, said toner has the height at the maximum point P(M3) is represented by H(M3) and the minimum point present between the maximum point P(M3) and the main peak is represented by P(L1), and where the height at the minimum point P(L1) is represented by H(L1), the H(M3), the H(L1) and the H(M1) fulfill the following condition:
     H ( M 3): H ( L 1): H ( M 1)=(0.10 to 0.95):(0.20 to 0.99):1.00. 
 
     
     
       16. The process for producing a toner according to  claim 10 , wherein, in the chart of molecular weight distribution measured by gel permeation chromatography of tetrahydrofuran-soluble matter of the toner, said toner has the integral value S1 in the region of molecular weight of from 500 to 2,500 and the integral value S2 in the region of molecular weight of from 2,500 to 15,000 and the integral value S3 in the region of molecular weight of from 15,000 to 1,000,000 are in the ratio of S1:S2:S3=(0.15 to 0.95):1.00:(1.50 to 8.00). 
     
     
       17. The process for producing a toner according to  claim 10 , wherein said toner has, in its particles of 3 μm or more in diameter, an average circularity of from 0.970 to 1.000 and a mode circularity of from 0.98 to 1.00.